Rob Melrose News

The Playwrights Foundation's 2013 Winter Rough Readings Series concludes with readings of Rob Melrose's adaptation of OZMA of OZ on Monday, December 2, 7:30pm at Roble Hall, Stanford University and on Tuesday, December 3, 7pm at The Thick House, San Francisco. Directed by Rob Melrose, OZMA of OZ is a trip-hop musical based on L. Frank Baum's third book in the Wizard of Oz series and presented in partnership with Cutting Ball Theatre.

Cutting Ball Theater presents the second installment of this season's Hidden Classics Reading Series, ANTIGONE, directed by Paige Rogers. The reading is set for today, November 10, 2013, 1pm at The Cutting Ball Theater in Residence at EXIT on Taylor, 277 Taylor St., San Francisco. Readings free and open to the public.

Cutting Ball Theater continues its 15th season with Alfred Jarry's UBU ROI in a new translation by Rob Melrose. When UBU ROI premiered in Paris on December 10, 1896, the audience broke into a riot at the utterance of its first word. Jarry's parody of Shakespeare's Macbeth defies theatrical tradition through its scatological language and disregard for audience expectations, replacing Shakespeare's tragic hero with a greedy, sadistic, obscene ogre who becomes the king of Poland by force and through the debasement of his people. UBU ROI retains its relevance and may bring to mind the fall from grace of many a contemporary political leader corrupted by power, from Elliot Spitzer to Dominque Strauss-Kahn.

Cutting Ball Theater presents the first installment of this season's Hidden Classics Reading Series, THE NATURAL RELATIONS and other plays, by Brazilian playwright Qorpo Santo, in new translations by Cutting Ball resident playwright Andrew Saito. Regarded in his day as insane, Santo's plays were rediscovered by intellectuals in the 1960s. Although still largely overlooked by the western theatrical community, this 19th century Brazilian playwright is thought by many to have written the first Absurdist plays, anticipating works by Beckett, Jarry, Genet and Ionesco. Satio's translations represent the first time these plays will be presented in English. Andrew Saito and Rem Myers co-direct THE NATURAL RELATIONS, featuring Donald Currie, Gwyneth Richards, Marilet Matinez, Maura Halloran and Leah Anderson.

Cutting Ball Theater presents the second installment of this season's Hidden Classics Reading Series, ANTIGONE, directed by Paige Rogers. In this seminal Greek play by Sophocles, Antigone defies the royal edict sent out by her uncle, Creon, not to bury the body of her brother, Polynices. Exploring the struggle between the individual and the state, this elegant tragedy about tyrannical power and civil disobedience is considered to be Sophocles' masterpiece and has become synonymous with political protest. ANTIGONE featuresMadeline H.D. Brown as Antigone and includes Galen Murphy-Hoffman, Sierra Stephens, Courtney Walsh, Jason W. Wong, Tamar Cohn, Marjorie Crump-Shears, Greg Jung, and Brian Thomas.

Cutting Ball Theater presents the first installment of this season's Hidden Classics Reading Series, THE NATURAL RELATIONS and other plays, by Brazilian playwright Qorpo Santo, in new translations by Cutting Ball resident playwright Andrew Saito. Regarded in his day as insane, Santo's plays were rediscovered by intellectuals in the 1960s. Although still largely overlooked by the western theatrical community, this 19th century Brazilian playwright is thought by many to have written the first Absurdist plays, anticipating works by Beckett, Jarry, Genet and Ionesco. Satio's translations represent the first time these plays will be presented in English. Andrew Saito and Rem Myers co-direct THE NATURAL RELATIONS, featuring Donald Currie, Gwyneth Richards, Marilet Matinez, Maura Halloran and Leah Anderson.

Cutting Ball Theater opens its 15th season with the World Premiere of SIDEWINDERS by Basil Kreimendahl. M. Graham Smith makes his main stage directing debut at Cutting Ball with SIDEWINDERS, featuring DavEnd, Sara Moore,Donald Currie, and Norman Muñoz. SIDEWINDERS plays October 18 through November 17 at the Cutting Ball Theater in residence at EXIT on Taylor (277 Taylor Street) in San Francisco. For tickets ($10-50) and more information, the public may visitcuttingball.com or call 415-525-1205.

The William & Eva Fox Foundation and Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, have announced the eighth round of Fox Foundation Resident Actor Fellowship recipients. The program is designed to support actors' professional and artistic development, to enrich relationships between actors and nonprofit theatres and to ensure continued professional commitment to live theatre. Funded by the Fox Foundation and administered by TCG, the fellowship is one of only a few programs of its kind for actors in the country.

San Francisco's cutting-edge Cutting Ball Theater is pleased to announce that the American Theatre Wing, best known as the creator of the Antoinette Perry "Tony" Awards, is awarding the company with one of the 2013 National Theatre Company grants. Created by American Theatre Wing to recognize and support the most promising emerging theater companies from around the country, the National Theatre Company grant honors 10 theaters annually. Companies chosen to receive the $10,000 grant have articulated a distinctive mission, cultivated an audience, and nurtured a community of artists in ways that strengthen and demonstrate the quality, diversity, and dynamism of American theater. More information about the National Theatre Company grants can be found at http://americantheatrewing.org/grants/.

Cutting Ball Theater opens its 15th season with the World Premiere of Basil Kreimendahl's SIDEWINDERS, beginning Oct. 18 and running through Nov. 17. SIDEWINDERS owes as much to Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot as it does to SF Pride. In this absurdist-Western romp through gender queerness, Dakota and Bailey find themselves lost, possibly upside down, in a strange world with even stranger characters. Their journey to getting right side up provokes questions of sex anatomy, transgenderism, and who we really are from the inside out. M. Graham Smith makes his main stage directing debut at Cutting Ball with SIDEWINDERS, featuring DavEnd, Sara Moore, Donald Currie, and Norman Munoz.

Cutting Ball Theater presents the final installment of this season's Hidden Classics Reading Series, THE BLACK MASKS, by Leonid Andreev, in a new translation by Allison Horsley.

Cutting Ball Theater announces that it will add an additional four performances of its current World Premiere ofKRISPY KRITTERS IN THE SCARLETT NIGHT, San Francisco playwright Andrew Saito's poetic portrayal of the heart of the city. Cutting Ball Artistic Director Rob Melrose directs KRISPY KRITTERS IN THE SCARLETT NIGHT, featuring Felicia Benefield, Wiley Namen Strasser, David Sinaiko, Marjorie Crump-Shears, Mimu Tsuimara, Maura Halloran, Caleb Caberera, and Drew Wolfe. KRISPY KRITTERS IN THE SCARLETT NIGHT plays now through June 23 (added performances: Thursday, June 20, 7:30pm; Friday, June 21, 8pm; Saturday, June 22, 8pm; Sunday, June 23, 5pm) at the Cutting Ball Theater in residence at EXIT on Taylor (277 Taylor Street) in San Francisco. For tickets and more information, the public may visit cuttingball.comor call 415-525-1205.

Cutting Ball Theater concludes its 14th season with the World Premiere of KRISPY KRITTERS IN THE SCARLETT NIGHT, San Francisco playwright Andrew Saito's poetic portrayal of the heart of the city in the spirit of Alan Ginsburg's Howl, William S. Burroughs, and the plays of Suzan-Lori Parks. Directed by Cutting Ball Artistic Director Rob Melrose, KRISPY KRITTERS IN THE SCARLETT NIGHT dazzles with sublime, surreal language and images fit for a Dali painting in a play about love and longing in the neglected neighborhoods of a fictional city.

Cutting Ball Theater presents the final installment of this season's Hidden Classics Reading Series, THE BLACK MASKS, by Leonid Andreev, in a new translation by Allison Horsley.

San Francisco's cutting-edge Cutting Ball Theater proudly announces the lineup for its 15th season. The season opens in October with the World Premiere of SIDEWINDERS by Basil Kreimendahl, directed by M. Graham Smith, followed by Alfred Jarry's UBU ROI in January, directed by Yury Urnov, in a new translation by Cutting Ball Artistic Director Rob Melrose. RISK IS THIS…THE CUTTING BALL NEW EXPERIMENTAL PLAYS FESTIVAL returns in February with five new works, including two new plays from resident playwright Andrew Saito, in staged readings that push the boundaries of what theater can be. Rounding out the season in April is the American Premiere of Samuel Galett's COMMUNIQUE N°10 in a World Premiere translation, and directed, by Rob Melrose. In addition to the main stage season, Cutting Ball Theater continues its Hidden Classics Reading Series with six new installments. The entire 2013-14 season will be staged in San Francisco at the Cutting Ball Theater in residence at EXIT on Taylor (277 Taylor Street at Ellis). Season memberships on sale May 13; single tickets on sale September 1. For tickets and information, the public may visit cuttingball.com or call 415-525-1205.

San Francisco's cutting-edge Cutting Ball Theater has announced the lineup for its 15th season. The season opens in October with the World Premiere of SIDEWINDERS by Basil Kreimendahl, directed by M. Graham Smith, followed by Alfred Jarry's UBU ROI in January, directed by Yury Urnov, in a new translation by Cutting Ball Artistic Director Rob Melrose. RISK IS THIS…THE CUTTING BALL NEW EXPERIMENTAL PLAYS FESTIVAL returns in February with five new works, including two new plays from resident playwright Andrew Saito, in staged readings that push the boundaries of what theater can be. Rounding out the season in April is the American Premiere of Samuel Galett's COMMUNIQUE N°10 in a World Premiere translation, and directed, by Rob Melrose. In addition to the main stage season, Cutting Ball Theater continues its Hidden Classics Reading Series with six new installments. The entire 2013-14 season will be staged in San Francisco at the Cutting Ball Theater in residence at EXIT on Taylor (277 Taylor Street at Ellis). Season memberships on sale May 13; single tickets on sale September 1. For tickets and information, the public may visit cuttingball.com or call 415-525-1205.

Cutting Ball Theater concludes its 14th season with the World Premiere of KRISPY KRITTERS IN THE SCARLETT NIGHT, San Francisco playwright Andrew Saito's poetic portrayal of the heart of the city in the spirit of Alan Ginsburg's Howl, William S. Burroughs, and the plays of Suzan-Lori Parks. Directed by Cutting Ball Artistic Director Rob Melrose, KRISPY KRITTERS IN THE SCARLETT NIGHT dazzles with sublime, surreal language and images fit for a Dali painting in a play about love and longing in the neglected neighborhoods of a fictional city.

Cutting Ball Theater concludes its 14th season with the World Premiere of KRISPY KRITTERS IN THE SCARLETT NIGHT, San Francisco playwright Andrew Saito's poetic portrayal of the heart of the city in the spirit of Alan Ginsburg's Howl, William S. Burroughs, and the plays of Suzan-Lori Parks. Cutting Ball Artistic Director Rob Melrose directs KRISPY KRITTERS IN THE SCARLETT NIGHT, featuring Felicia Benefield, Wiley Namen Strasser, David Sinaiko, Marjorie Crump-Shears, Mimu Tsuimara, Maura Halloran, Caleb Caberera, and Drew Wolfe, May 17 through June 16 (Press opening: May 23) at the Cutting Ball Theater in residence at EXIT on Taylor (277 Taylor Street) in San Francisco. For tickets ($10-50) and more information, the public may visit cuttingball.com or call 415-525-1205.

Cutting Ball Theater presents the fourth installment of this season's Hidden Classics Reading Series. The fat, fun-loving character of Falstaff is considered by many to be one of Shakespeare's greatest inventions. Perhaps the biggest fan was Queen Elizabeth, who insisted that Shakespeare write a play that featured Falstaff after he killed him off in Henry V; THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR is the result of that request. The reading will take place today, March 24, 2013.

Cutting Ball Theater announces that it will add an additional five performances of its current production of Eugene Ionesco's THE CHAIRS. This tragic farce, in the tradition of Cutting Ball's hit productions of Ionesco's The Bald Soprano (2010) and Victims of Duty (2008), is as comedic as it is heartbreaking. Annie Elias (Tenderloin) directs THE CHAIRS, featuring David Sinaiko, Tamar Cohn, and Derek Fischer. THE CHAIRS plays now through April 7 (added performances: Thursday April 4, 7:30pm; Friday, April 5, 8:00pm; Saturday, April 6, 2pm, 8:00pm; Sunday April 7, 5pm) at the Cutting Ball Theater in residence at EXIT on Taylor (277 Taylor Street) in San Francisco. For tickets and more information, the public may visit cuttingball.com or call 415-525-1205.